


The Water that Binds Us

by ellerean



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-02-09
Packaged: 2018-03-11 09:32:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3322490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellerean/pseuds/ellerean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Airmailed gifts, online dates, and a surprise visit that Haru definitely hadn't seen coming.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Water that Binds Us

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's early for V-Day, but *gasp* I finished this ahead of time.

Haru turned the card over in his hands again: the vibrant red construction paper, a heart-shaped doily glued to the front. Tiny hearts and cupid stickers arranged haphazardly around it. _To my valentine_ , it read in English, which Haru had translated with help from the Internet. It wasn’t a phrase he’d ever have to use in a foreign language but he visually traced the characters over and over, slowly, as if memorizing them. _To my valentine_. The card’s spine was creased in three places, previous attempts at folding that were abandoned before trying, yet again, to straighten it.

 _Haru_ , the inside read, blissfully in Japanese.

_It’s winter in Japan but I’m sitting by an open window. It’s warm and beautiful in Australia, but I’d rather be in the cold with you._

_Happy Valentine’s Day_

_Rin_

Haru squinted at a scribble above the elaborate signature, a partial character beneath the dense lines, an attempt at _love_ before he’d changed his mind. He pressed the pad of his thumb to the mark, and he smiled.

The small box still sat on his desk, an accompaniment to the card, carefully wrapped in striped red paper with glittered hearts. Before unwrapping it he knew his own gift would be inadequate; he hadn’t put as much effort into the presentation, not wanting to spend the money on fancy wrapping paper or ribbon Rin would just throw away. The only reason he’d sent a card was because he knew Rin would like that, but it didn’t compare to the handmade monstrosity that now lay on his desk.

He held the box to his ear and shook it, and something shifted around inside. It would be easier to unwrap it but he liked the way it looked, and he liked having the gift on his desk. Rin had wrapped this gift; Rin had carefully selected its contents with him in mind. Haru’d had issues deciding what to give him. Chocolates or flowers would be a pain to ship but they were too ordinary, anyway. He’d settled on a notebook, one with a magnetic closure and the Great Wave Off Kanagawa on the front. It was stereotypical but it was Japanese, and Rin was not in Japan. _For training_ , he’d written on the inside cover, having found a training notebook useful for himself.

He finally peeled back the wrapping paper to unveil a small, white box. He ran a thumbnail along the edges to break the adhesive and wiggle off the top.

“A bracelet?” he said aloud, lifting the braided leather from its cotton batting. It looked more like something Rin would wear. A silver dolphin connected the two ends of the bracelet, attached by its nose and tail to complete the circle. He fit it onto his wrist, then held the bracelet up to the light through the window.

Haru shook his hand, and the dolphin’s weight made it droop to the backside of his wrist. He smiled.

There was something on the bottom of the box, a dark smear visible through the quasi-transparent white fluff of cotton. A picture of Rin, his arm partially blocking his smile to display his own bracelet.

 _I bought the shark,_ he’d written on the back. _We match xx_

There was a knock, and he paused, wondering if it was his front door. His neighbors were close enough that they often mistook one another’s visitors for their own, or unintentionally left friends out in the cold. When there was another knock, louder this time, Haru hastily wiped his eyes and rose to answer it.

“You cryin’, Nanase?”

Haru was used to one person appearing at his door unannounced. He was used to positioning his line of vision before even opening the door to meet his eyes. Now, he fractionally tilted his head up farther. What was more surprising than Sousuke’s visit was the smile on his face.

Haru hid his wrist behind his back. “What do you want?”

“Just came to say hi, all right?” He lifted a hand, which Haru now noticed held a bakery box tied with pink string. “Want some cake?”

Haru narrowed his eyes.

“At least let me come in?” he asked. “In case you haven’t noticed, it’s cold.”

He silently stepped aside, staring at Sousuke’s back before closing the front door. Haru didn’t need the weather report; he’d been standing in the open doorway in just sweats and a T-shirt. He moved to the kitchenette to put on a kettle of water while Sousuke opened the bakery box at the table.

“Why did you bring me cake?” Haru asked, his back to his guest.

There was a pause. “It’s Valentine’s Day.”

“I have a boyfriend.”

“I know that!” Haru smirked, but when he turned around his face was already commonly passive. The small apartment was infused with lavender and honey from the small teapot. When he set it on the table there were two small cakes already spread out, white cream with a strawberry perched on top. Each had a white plastic fork beside it, as if Haru didn’t own utensils.

Sousuke took it upon himself to pour them tea, though it wasn’t done steeping. It was pale and weak in the porcelain teacups, but Haru sipped it anyway.

“You got your present,” Sousuke said, jerking his chin toward Haru. Haru stared at his wrist, like he’d forgotten it was there. “He showed me what you got him,” he added, when Haru didn’t say anything. “Good idea. He always needs more journals.”

“Rin sent you?” Haru stared at the strawberry cake. It wasn’t his favorite, but he wouldn’t refuse it. If Rin were there, they’d be eating the same thing. Probably feeding each other, smearing frosting on each other’s faces, or any other countless romantic gestures.

Sousuke shrugged a shoulder. “Not really. Figured you didn’t have any plans, so”—he picked up his plastic fork—“eat up.”

Haru waited until Sousuke had taken the first bite, then took up a forkful himself. It wasn’t too sweet. Surprisingly pleasant, even. He poked at the strawberry with a prong, sinking it farther into the frosting.

“We might as well get along,” Sousuke said. He raked his fork through the icing. “I’ve been hanging out with Makoto when you’re off swimming.”

Haru nodded. “I know.” Makoto had told him, of course—how he’d meet Sousuke at his apartment, or at a bar, so they could watch their meets together. How they’d reminisce about their own swimming days, remembering the silly dramas of middle and high school. “He’s been helping you.” He hadn’t meant it as an insult, but Sousuke flinched. While Sousuke continued with physical therapy, Makoto implemented what he learned in the classroom to help him in the water again. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“Rin’s national rank is higher than yours,” he casually replied, looking around the small apartment rather than meet Haru’s glare. But the smile slowly crawled over Sousuke’s lips in a wordless truce.

He hadn’t planned for company, but Sousuke stayed. They finished their cake; Haru prepared another pot of tea, allowing it to fully steep. They played video games, and it was almost like playing with Rin—except they didn’t touch, sitting far enough apart that a heavy emptiness sat between them.

“You haven’t actually seen each other since you started dating, huh?”

Haru jammed his thumbs into the controller, shooting lasers at Sousuke’s fish, killing him yet again. “So?”

“Just asking.”

“Why ask when you already know?”

Sousuke hurled the controller down between his open knees. It bounced and clattered as the screen flashed “Game Over,” again, with nanaharu630 first place on the winner’s board, again. “How often do you _play_ this?”

Haru gently set down his controller. “It’s my favorite.”

They ordered takeout for dinner, splitting the bill, and spread out an array of appetizers in white plastic containers. It was something he’d do with Makoto, or with Rin, or anyone besides Sousuke, fighting over the last shrimp dumpling.

“Rock, paper, scissor,” Sousuke said, a fist already positioned on his palm. Haru immediately clenched his fist and then threw it out on the count of three—paper—victorious over Sousuke’s rock.

“Are you always this good at games?” Haru asked, swiping the dumpling.

“Shut _up_.” Sousuke scowled.

Haru excused himself to the bathroom, though he didn’t have to go. He locked the door and opened the window, breathing in the cold air that Rin wished he could breathe. His phone was in his pocket, and he could easily message him, but imagining was better. Imagining him standing by the ocean, thinking of him on the other side. A new notebook under his arm, a leather bracelet around his wrist that bore a tiny silver shark.

And it was Sousuke in his apartment, sharing his dinner, probably snooping around while he pretended to use the bathroom.

Haru flushed the toilet and washed his hands for good measure.

“What an idiot.” Sousuke stood at the desk, smiling as Haru reentered the room. A square photograph was pinched between two fingers. Rin’s face flashed at Haru as he slowly rotated it, like a card in play.

“We match,” Haru said, rather obviously; Sousuke had known of his best friend’s Valentine’s Day plans, whether he’d wanted to or not.

“He’s crazy about you.” Haru noticed that the handmade card had moved, though neither made mention of it. “Never thought it’d be mutual.”

Haru pushed his hands into his pockets, which were deep enough to hide his wrists. “What does _that_ mean?”

“Nothing.” He sat back down before the remnants of their dinner—a half-empty saucer of soy sauce; a few greasy noodles stuck to the bottom of a carton. “He’s . . . _Rin_.”

Haru hadn’t moved. “I like him.”

“I know that! Jeez, why do you get defensive over everything?” He picked up a carton and peered into it, like he couldn’t see the bottom of its depths. “You want the rest of this vegetable thing?”

“No.” Haru plopped down at the table. “You eat it.”

He didn’t stay long after, just long enough to help clean up dinner despite Haru’s protests. They were just disposable containers; Haru could’ve easily swept them into the trash bin himself. But he thrust the knotted bag toward Sousuke as he zipped his jacket.

“What?” Sousuke asked, pulling a hat over his head.

“It’s trash,” he replied. “Take it out.”

“I’m not your wife!”

Haru took a step closer, and Sousuke recoiled with the closer proximity to the trash. “You pass the pick-up spot on the way out.”

It was a small victory, watching Sousuke leave the apartment with his garbage. The room still smelled like fried dumplings and dipping sauces so, despite the dropping temperature, Haru cracked a window.

“Huh?”

There was a box on the desk that hadn’t previously been there, very red and very obviously Valentine-related. Haru took slow steps toward it, cautiously, though knew even from a distance that it was a box of chocolates. The small kind, for a boy who doesn’t like chocolates much—like Rin—or the ones single people buy the day after for themselves because it’s on sale. A small card was affixed to the front.

_Haru—_

_He wanted to buy you chocolates._

_—Sousuke_

Haru booted up his laptop and immediately connected to Skype, unsurprised that Rin answered his call right away.

“You cheated,” Haru said, holding the chocolates up to the camera.

Rin’s laugh was warbled, broken spurts of joy over a slow connection. When he grinned, Haru almost forgave him. His mouth moved before the words were transferred over the line, like a badly dubbed movie. “How was dinner?”

“I never thought I’d have a date with Sousuke.” There was a lag between responses, which gave Haru a moment to watch him. Rin, who was waiting for his words to cross the world. Rin, grimacing as he finally heard Haru’s reply.

“It wasn’t a date!”

“Tell him that.” Haru held up the red box again. “He left me chocolate.” He peeled off the red paper, tilting the box toward the camera as he lifted the lid. There were four chocolates nestled inside, though no guide as to what they were. “You’re crazy about me.” He popped a chocolate into his mouth. It was filled with coconut crème, and too sweet, but he slowly chewed anyway.

“Did he _say_ that?” Rin rubbed the back of his head, a habit Haru used to find annoying.

Haru ignored the question, which only confirmed its answer. Instead, he adjusted the bracelet before holding it up to Rin, ensuring the dolphin was in clear view. “I like it.”

“Great!” Rin rubbed his own wrist, pushing up the leather bracelet so Haru could see it better. It was different, seeing it in motion, rather than the still of a photograph. “The notebook is cool. My old one is almost filled up.” He lifted it before the camera, like Haru didn’t know what it looked like. “Hey, Haru.” He hugged the notebook to his chest, cheeks already flushed with whatever embarrassing thing he was going to say next. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Then hurry.” Rin’s jaw twitched, strained to hold back the tears. “Sousuke is trying to seduce me.”

“Idiot!”

That night, Haru slept with the window open. It was cold, and he wore only his boxers, but the pile of blankets was too warm. He held an arm up to the ceiling, the dolphin charm cool on his wrist. The small box of chocolates was on his nightstand, half-empty; the handmade card stood upright, opened slightly with Rin’s words facing him. The pillow was cool when he lay his cheek upon it, and he stared at his phone on the nightstand. He never used to leave his phone on the nightstand. He never used to remember where he put it half the time.

Haru had few numbers in his contacts—Rin; his parents; the Tachibanas. The swim club members. And Sousuke, which Rin had added before they’d all gone to Tokyo. “Just leave it!” Rin had said, when Haru had threatened to delete it.

Haru pulled up his contact, having forgotten it was even there. _Pool tomorrow?_

He hadn’t yet figured out how to spend time with people outside high school. To not be confined within the walls of the familiar, to actively go somewhere beside each other’s bedrooms. To plan socialization rather than meet on a rooftop during lunch. To make a phone call rather than make idle conversation walking home.

 _I’ll be there w Makoto_ , Sousuke replied. _Join us._

But they still congregated at poolside. Connected by the water, even if they didn’t all swim. Linked by those who did.

Haru briefly hesitated before replying, _Ok._

**Author's Note:**

> Oh come on, Rin showing up would've been _too_ convenient.
> 
> ([Here](http://letsswimtogethernanase.tumblr.com/post/110563506943) on tumblr.)


End file.
